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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26271259">A Baby or A Sword</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke'>LadyBrooke</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Humor, M/M, Mpreg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:35:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26271259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Of all the things that he could think of to stop his father from fighting Fingolfin, Maedhros blurted out the news of his marriage and more. </p><p>Really, as long as Fëanor did not discover Fingon and Maedhros hoped the marriage would solve the problems between their families, it was possible this would end without another fight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fingon | Findekáno/Maedhros | Maitimo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Baby or A Sword</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/gifts">The_Plaid_Slytherin</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Atar, please, you must not argue with Nolofinwë.” Maedhros stood in the doorway, blocking his father from exiting, though he did not yet try to grab his father and physically delay him. That was likely to be a step too far, and yet for his marriage, he would do so.</p><p>He sensed far too many eyes watching for what he was likely going to have to reveal to his father to get him to stop, all six of his brothers included, peeking out of rooms like birds on a tree. The only part of this that was acceptable at all was that Fingon and he had discussed this exact situation, and Fingon had agreed to reveal it so early.</p><p>“Nolofinwë has tried to turn even your grandfather against us. I see no good reason as to why I should not.” Fëanor tried once more to step around his son, and Maedhros noticed the sword this time.</p><p>In a blind panic, he spoke rapidly, words blurring into one another in his haste. “Findekáno and I married in secret, and he carries our child. You will be a grandfather once more, but I do not know that Findekáno will agree to you or any of the others being near the child he bears if you threaten his father with a sword.”</p><p>The sword dropped to the floor. So did the harp Maglor had been holding, and the twins due to their laughter.</p><p>Maedhros would have yelled at Celegorm for the whistling, but instead he found himself dragged out the front door and towards the palace, Fëanor muttering under his breath the entire way. Maedhros could not quite understand what his father was saying, but he seemed to be less angry at Fingolfin now and more frustrated at Maedhros and Fingon hiding secrets, so that was better.</p><p>And at least he had left the sword behind, Maedhros decided as they went through the streets, somehow acquiring Fingolfin himself as they marched forward. Maedhros was somehow unsure if Fingolfin had decided on his own to follow, or if Fëanor had told him to follow and Fingolfin had through sheer confusion at the scene.</p><p>“Where is your cousin?” Fëanor barely paused as he opened the door, only waiting long enough that he would not lead them down the wrong path.</p><p>“Helping Grandfather,” Maedhros mumbled in response to the question, hoping Fingolfin would not ask any questions before they reached said relatives. It was one thing to tell his own father in the absence of Fingon. It would be entirely another to deprive Fingon of the joy of telling his own father.</p><p>It was an odd group that marched up the steps, eventually ending in Finwë’s office. Inside, Fingon and Finwë had evidently just sat down to lunch, for Fingon placed a sandwich back on his plate and looked up. Finwë opened his mouth, almost certainly to ask some question, but Maedhros’ attention was drawn only to Fingon.</p><p>Fingon shook his head at the sight, thoughts brushing against Maedhros’. ‘I suppose you had to tell your father. Does mine know, or is he as confused as Grandfather?’</p><p>‘You would not have been happy if I had not told him. There was a sword involved,’ Maedhros thought back. ‘I am not yet sure if Atar is pleased or not by the news, but nay, your father does not know unless he discovered such on his own.’</p><p>‘Your father likes children. He will be pleased enough so long as he does not think we intended this to force them to behave.’ Fingon smiled at the thought.</p><p>‘Do not let him know we hoped our marriage would do so, Atar would be furious,’ Maedhros frantically thought as Fëanor cleared his throat.</p><p>“Maitimo, explain,” Fëanor said.</p><p>Maedhros blinked, and looked at Fingon. Fingon looked back, and then stepped forward.</p><p>“Atar, you should sit down. You look as though you have had a long day,” Fingon said.</p><p>Finwë was still in his own seat, so Fingolfin took the seat in front of the desk, looking between his son and nephew and his half-brother. Fëanor remained by the window, fingers tapping against the frame. Neither his son nor his nephew thought it was to suggest that he sit.</p><p>“I suppose it began a few decades ago,” Maedhros said. “As you all know, Findekáno and I are close to one another, and we have grown closer as the years go on. It should come as no surprise that we would wish to remain close, nor that we have mostly accomplished a relationship despite the stress that has come from the tensions in the city in recent years, but we will understand if the exact nature of our present relationship seems a shock, for we have attempted to hide such until we ourselves were more settled.”</p><p>“What he means to say is we were married a few months ago,” Fingon interrupted. “We are not requesting opinions on our marriage at this point, as stress is not good for any of the three of us.”</p><p>“The three - please, do you meant to imply-” Fingolfin looked at his son.</p><p>“We will have a child before the year turns again, and we dearly hope that all of our family can find it within themselves to not argue for their sake. I know it is much to request, for the fights between our families have run deep, but I do not wish them to grow in a world where they feel they must play a role in such feuds,” Maedhros said.</p><p>A moment later, Maedhros and Fingon found themselves engulfed in a hug, then a second one as Fëanor evidently decided his half-brother could not be the only one to do so, and then Finwë took his own turn as well.</p><p>“That is wonderful,” Fingolfin said. “But how? It is not unheard of, but it is rare, especially for two elves whose marriage was so cloaked in secrecy.”</p><p>“We were surprised as well,” Maedhros said, before trailing off at the thought of explaining how.</p><p>Fingon decided to explain instead. “It turns out there is a reason they say to not get married in Yavanna’s gardens, but we did not know why until we found a healer afterwards.”</p><p>Maedhros’ face grew increasingly more red as Fingon explained, until finally it could have almost matched his hair. “It was my fault, really. I should have known better, or at least thought to check why.”</p><p>“I thought we agreed I would take half the credit for our accomplishments,” Fingon said, ignoring the quiet shuffling in the background. Doubtless one of their fathers found the conversation awkward to listen to. “And our child is an accomplishment.”</p><p>“Yes, of course, but while I agree with you, there are those that would disagree. If any are to look upon us in judgment for such, I would rather they look upon me with such and spare you.” Maedhros willed his blush to disappear. “It is only fair that I take such a task upon myself, when yours is so much harder and fraught with more danger.”</p><p>“This is an unintended joy, far beyond what I had hoped for.” Fingon entwined his fingers around Maedhros’, pulling him closer. “And considering all I had hoped for, that says a great deal about our success.”</p><p>“Of course, and I hold it amongst the greatest joys of my life as well. I only wish you had been able to tell those you wished in your own time,” Maedhros said, before pausing and turning his head. The room had been unusually quiet throughout their discussion, when he would have expected either his father or Fingolfin to interrupt with questions or comments.</p><p>Fëanor and Fingolfin were no longer in the room, which explained why they had not. Finwë looked up at them, but only smiled with joy.</p><p>“Where?” Maedhros did not finish his question, but Finwë laughed and stood, embracing them both again.</p><p>“I sent them to gather the rest of your families,” he answered.</p><p>“Oh,” Maedhros said. He thought of his brother’s reactions, but surely they would have calmed now, and regardless of Celegorm’s initial reaction, all of his brothers had enjoyed being the uncle or father of Celebrimbor. Perhaps they would enjoy the same now. And the same was true of Fingon’s siblings and Idril.</p><p>Fingon squeezed his husband’s hand, dragging him from his thoughts, before Fingon meet their grandfather’s eyes. “Do we have your approval?”</p><p>“Though it does not seem to matter at this point - no, do not protest Maitimo, I merely meant that even if I disapproved, it would not undo things - I do and would wish no different for either of you. You are both happy in your marriage, you have a child coming, you have kept your fathers from arguing with one another today-”</p><p>Maedhros interrupted him, blushing again. “You knew of that?”</p><p>“I am not as oblivious as many assume. You both kept glancing in their directions while using osanwë, it seemed a reasonable conclusion. Do not worry, they were too distracted to notice.” Finwë pulled them both into a hug again, before releasing them and stepping towards the door. “Now, I suggest that you two take some time together before the rest of your families arrive. I feel that I have enough experience to tell you both that time always seems to slip away, and you should take what you are given and enjoy it.”</p><p>Maedhros felt as though he had barely blinked, and Finwë was gone from the room, though he had left behind the lunch Fingon and he had been enjoying when they were interrupted.</p><p>Fingon pulled him towards the couch. “Well, that is over, and no fights involved.”</p><p>“There still could be one,” Maedhros said, looking toward the door as though a fight was likely to break out on the other side and spill into the room at any moment.</p><p>“Hush.” Fingon pushed Maedhros onto the couch and then sat on his lap. “Forget about them, we have been promised some time, and I for one wish to take advantage of it.”</p><p>With that, Fingon kissed him.</p><p>“Findekáno, what if they return too quickly, or-” Maedhros pulled back.</p><p>“Then they will know the reasons we shall be moving in together, and also how this began in the first place,” Fingon said. “I do not intend to go all the way, of course, out of consideration for grandfather’s couch, but neither do I intend to waste our chance.”</p><p>Maedhros considered that for a moment. It was improper -</p><p>He kissed Fingon back, tilting their heads together and moving his hand against Fingon until he could feel the bump just barely beginning to form, and decided any embarrassment was well worth the joy he had now. He smiled into the kiss, and felt Fingon do so as well, before both became lost in it once more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>An elf who goes ‘I’m going to wander into the lands of Morgoth to retrieve Maedhros with a harp and a bow’ is also going to be an elf who goes ‘whelp, if you have to tell your dad about our surprise kid to keep him from fighting my dad, do it whenever you need’.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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